Research Awards

Overview

The John Sanders Medal was established to promote excellence in developing or applying electron microscope techniques in the physical or chemical sciences, and to perpetuate the name of John Sanders. The award is open to microscopists residing in Australia for at least five of the past seven years preceding the date on which the entries close.

The medal is to be awarded for excellence in developing or applying electron microscope techniques, with particular attention to problems of practical importance in the physical and chemical sciences. The award shall be given for original research making, in the opinion of the selection committee, the most important contribution to the subject as defined above, and recorded in papers of international standing published during the previous five years, and supported, where appropriate, by unpublished papers ready for publication.

Applications, which can come either from or on behalf of a nominee,

Eligibility:

• Nominees must be researchers who have resided in Australia for at least five of the past seven years.
• Nominees should have a research focus on developing and/or applying electron microscope techniques in the physical, chemical and/or multidisciplinary sciences.

Award Criteria:

• Pioneered innovative research that has significantly advanced the development and application of electron microscopy techniques. This includes, but not limited to, creating new methodologies or significantly enhancing the existing approaches including correlative strategies.
• Produced research outputs of outstanding originality and quality, as evidenced by publications with high-impact and awards in the previous five years, or supported, where appropriate, by unpublished papers ready for publication.

Documents to include in the application

• The name, affiliation and reports of two referees
• A short statement of the research for which the nomination was made
• A CV (maximum 2 pages)
• A list of relevant publication

Overview

The Cowley-Moodie Award was originally established in 1984. The award may be referred to as “The AMMS Cowley-Moodie Award (sponsored by ThermoFisher)”.

The award is open to electron microscopists working in the physical sciences. It provides an international air-ticket for the recipient to present a paper at an international scientific conference and/or to visit overseas scientific laboratories within twelve months of the award.

Aspects of John Cowley and Alec Moodie’s Achievements and Lives

John Cowley and Alec Moodie were pioneers of the dynamical theory of electron microscopy and diffraction.  In a seminal series of papers (Proc. Phys. Soc. 1957 70(486), 70(497), 70(505) and 1958 71(533)) they presented what can only be described as an elegant, inspired and ground-breaking development for electron microscopy – the multislice or Cowley-Moodie theory.  This was the key to the quantitative calculation of diffraction intensities and images from crystalline materials, which was essential to the subsequent development of HREM.  Other major works preceded and followed, but the conjunction of their names will forever be linked with these papers.  This award commemorates not only those works, but the unparalleled inspiration that John and Alec gave to a legion of budding scientists, both in Australia and overseas.  It was therefore fitting that, soon after its formation, the Australian Society for (Electron) Microscopy (the predecessor of AMMS) established this award to recognise their achievements.

 Eligibility:

1. Nominees must be researchers who have resided in Australia for at least five of the past seven years.
2. Nominees should have a research focus physical sciences.
3. Nominees must be financial members of AMMS at the time of application and award.

Award Criteria:

The award will be judged on the basis of a piece of original research in the physical sciences involving electron microscopy, completed in the previous four years. A significant part of the research should have been carried out in Australia

Preference is given to early- to mid-career researchers. Past applicants are encouraged to reapply.

The call for applications will be published in the AMMS newsletter and on the Austem email list in the year prior to the biennial meeting and the award will be announced a. The award will be presented during the biennial ACMM meeting. The successful applicant is selected by the awards committee

Documents to include in the application

Applications, which can come either from or on behalf of a nominee,

• The name and reports of two referees
• A short statement of the research for which the nomination was made
• A CV (maximum 2 pages)
• A list of relevant publication
• A Brief statement of how the award will be used (individual not self-nominated will be contacted by the awards committee for their statement)

Obligations of the Award Recipient

• The recipient is required to give a brief summary of their work at the biennial meeting. They must also submit a one page report following completion of their travel, which is to be published in the AMMS newsletter.

Overview

The David Goodchild Award is open to microscopists working in Biology and will provide A$2,000 towards either, presentation of a paper at a microscopy meeting of international standing, or, a visit to an overseas laboratory.

Candidates are invited to submit applications or can be nominated. Preference is given to early to mid-career researchers, particularly applicants who have not previously travelled overseas to attend a conference. Past applicants are encouraged to re-apply.

Eligibility:

• Nominees should have a research focus biological sciences.
• Nominees must be financial members of AMMS at the time of application and award.

Award Criteria:

• Novelty and impact of the microscopy approaches used (from brief overview and any associated publications)
• Evaluation of suitability of the planned use of the award
• Evaluation of impact statement & CV
• Level of support from professional referees

Documents to include in the application

• Brief overview of the microscopy approach used,
• Details of how the award will be used (which event, duration, planned outcomes),
• Brief impact statement,
• Academic curriculum vitae,
• Copy of any publications relevant to the application in refereed journals or pre-prints (if available)
• Letter of support from two professional referees

Obligations of the Award Recipient

• The recipient must submit a one-page report following completion of their travel, which is to be published in the AMMS newsletter.

Overview

The Microscopy and Microanalysis Award is open to microscopists working in any field. It will provide $2,000 towards the recipient for presenting a paper at a microscopy meeting of international standing or to visit an overseas laboratory. The award will be judged based on a piece of original research involving the development or application of advanced microscopy and/or microanalysis. The substantial body of the work must have been carried out in Australia. Candidates are invited to submit applications or be nominated. Preference will be given to early to mid-career researchers.

Eligibility:

• The substantial body of the work must have been carried out in Australia.
• Nominees must be financial members of AMMS at the time of application and award.

Award Criteria:

• Novelty and impact of the microscopy approaches used
• Evaluation of suitability of the planned use of the award
• Evaluation of impact statement & CV
• Level of support from professional referees

Documents to include in the application

• a curriculum vitae
• name and affiliation of two referees, including their report
• a summary of the work being submitted for the award, together with any relevant publications or thesis (these will be returned on request)
• a brief statement of how the award will be used.

Obligations of the Award Recipient

• The recipient must submit a one-page report following completion of their travel, which is to be published in the AMMS newsletter.

Overview

This Bursary is support by ProSciTech and is intended to further cooperation between microscopists in Australia and New Zealand. The bursary covers all expenses for economy air travel to the next New Zealand Microscopy Conference (or its equivalent), registration fees, and A$500 for living expenses. This bursary is awarded to an Australian and a New Zealand resident on alternate occasions.

All candidates will be judged on an oral summary of the significance of their work, presented at ACMM. Preference will be given for research that is judged to have some enduring value for people and/or the environment.

The presentations will be judged by a panel selected by the conference chair and the winner will be announced at the conference closing ceremony

Eligibility criteria:

• be an early career researcher who is an Australian resident and member of AMMS
• present an oral presentation at the ACMM;
• be undertaking research with a crucial component of any form of microscopy and/or electron beam analysis.

Award Criteria:

• Quality of the oral presentation at ACMM

Documents to include in the application

• a curriculum vitae
• provide the contact details and report of two professional referees.
• copies of any relevant publications in refereed journals during the past 5 years;

Obligations of the Award Recipient

• The recipient must submit a one-page report following completion of their travel, which is to be published in the AMMS newsletter.

The John Farrant Prizes:

Overview

The John Farrant Prizes were instigated to honour the name of John Farrant and his contribution to the establishment of a thriving electron microscopy community in Australia. The Prizes are funded by a generous gift from Mrs. Patricia Farrant.

The John Farrant Prizes comprising of a certificate and A$500 are awarded for scientifically significant student presentations given at the ACMM – one for Biological or Medical Sciences, and one for the Physical Sciences. All areas of microscopy and areas of research in the chosen filed can be applied for. A panel of national and international microscopists present at the conference will judge the suitability of presentations for award of the Prizes.

Eligibility:

• Nominees must be undergraduate of graduate students during the year of the award.
• Nominees must be financial members of AMMS at the time of application and award.
• Nommiees shouldn’t be previous award winners of a John Farrant Prize
• use the money to further their career in a way approved by the Society;

Award criteria:

• Microscopy and/or microscopy data analysis should form a substantial part of study and should have been performed by the student.
• Research presented should be original research conducted by the student.
• Overall quality of the presentation at ACMM

Obligations of the Award Recipient

• The recipients must submit a one page report following completion of their travel, which is to be published in the AMMS newsletter.
• Write a letter of thanks to the Farrant family